The Lady and the Bastard
by Jarya
Summary: A young blacksmith's apprentice, Gendry, has been sent to train in Winterfell instead of King's Landing. And there, Gendry meets a painfully, annoying, little girl. But as time passes, he began to like the tiny girl's company, only to realize that she was actually highborn.
1. Chapter 1: The Little Mouse

**The Lady and the Bastard**

**A/N: **I actually already have another story I'm working on, but I just thought of a Gendry x Arya story and I just had to write this one. This story won't be too long though.

So anyways, I hope you enjoy it and please review! I'd appreciate some feedback. :)

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters nor settings and it all belongs to GRRM and his brilliant brain of his. (Like my other story, this disclaimer will be for the whole story).**

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**Chapter 1: The Little Mouse**

They all looked at him like he was something special. No one ever paid attention to some random bastard from the Crownlands. And once Gendry had walked through the south gates of Winterfell, dozens of eyes glanced over to him; and for some unknown reason, he was agitated by it. But why? They were only looking at him because he was a new face. He suspected that Winterfell didn't get many visitors. Even in the summer, it was still cold. The thought didn't change his mood though. Gendry was just so used to being ignored that he didn't like the idea of people paying attention to him. He liked being alone and he liked being by himself. He could care less if people start paying attention to him. All that mattered was his metalwork. That was all he was ever good at.

He knocked on the door of a small house next to the smithy in Winterfell. An old, but burly man had opened the door and greeted him.

"Your Tobho Mott's old apprentice?" the old man grumbled and Gendry nodded in reply. "Good. I heard you work exceptionally well, especially for your age. Show me that helmet, will you?"

He opened his sack of luggage which had nothing but spare, dirty clothes and the bull's helmet he had made once and was very proud of. Gendry loved it more than anything. He gave it to the blacksmith for him to inspect it. "Fine work it is. It's nice to finally get some help around here. Too much work for an old man like me." Suddenly, the blacksmith started laughing heavily, which Gendry didn't seem to find very funny.

"What's your name, boy?"

"Gendry, um," he stopped midsentence, not sure how to address him. Should it be master?

"Call me Mikken, Gendry. And come out of the chilly air and come in! You'll be staying here for now." Gendry looked around and it seemed cozy enough. "Nothing too special. You'll have to sleep on the floor though."

"That's fine. I should be used to it by now." He brought in his things and stepped inside. A fire was burning and it smelled of firewood inside. It felt nice to feel warmth after being in the cold for days.

"You start work tomorrow, and go ahead and get yourself comfortable," he said and left to go out to the forge.

After Gendry got comfortable and settled down, he decided to check out the smithy. He never got a good look at it for he was too anxious to see his new master and how he was like. Now since he's met him, he seems nice enough. When he departed the house, he saw Mikken with a small, tiny girl. The girl gave Mikken a piece of parchment.

"I'll start working on this. Good thing I have some help around here from now on," the blacksmith read the parchment with some difficulty, but nevertheless he was able to read it and started on his metalwork.

"Help?" the girl said confused until her grey eyes met Gendry's own blue eyes. "You're helping Mikken now?"

Gendry nodded and just continued to stand by the door stupidly. The girl with brown hair continued to talk to him though. She looks like a mouse, he thought.

"Are you new 'round here? Where you from?" she kept on asking with curiosity clear in her voice.

"King's Landing," he replied.

"That far south? You must hate it here. It's awfully cold."

"I don't mind it though," he said abruptly. Gendry didn't care where he was or where he lived, as long as he worked as a blacksmith's apprentice making weapons and fixing up armor, he would be just fine.

"Gendry, you better be addressing her-" But Mikken was cut off by the mousy girl.

"My name's Arry," she said with a faint smile. "I work at the stables."

Mikken started to laugh again and Gendry could not understand his humor. "Aye, you do. Arry Horseface, she's called." And Mikken continued to laugh.

"Shut up," she told the blacksmith loftily.

"Careful now, little lady. Your mother and father don't want you being rude to others. Or do you need more of your lessons?"

Arry shook her head in reply. Gendry could see why they called her "horseface". She had a plain face and her brown hair looked as if it was her mane. And he didn't think hanging around horses lessened this title for her.

"Well, I best be going now," she said in a casual tone," See you 'round, Gendry." Arry had a sly smile on her face when she left and scurried noiselessly away like a mouse. He noticed other folk were greeting her as she passed by.

"She's well liked?" Gendry asked Mikken.

"Aye. Everyone loves her. Well, maybe not including her sister, but she's hard not to like. She can be annoying at times, but she's a sweet girl."

Gendry watched Arry as she scampered away. He looked sweet to her, but he knew there was something else in her. As if a little fire ignited in her that you could see in her playful, grey eyes. Gendry was fascinated in her. Hope to see you around too, Arry, he said to himself and decided to help Mikken out with the list of weapons and armory they had to work on.


	2. Chapter 2: Highborns and Lowborns

**The Lady and the Bastard**

**Chapter 2: Highborns and Lowborns**

Gendry didn't know what he was thinking when he said he was fascinated by the stable girl, Arry. She was the most annoying, little girl he had ever met. And she was always around like she had nothing better to do. Gendry swore that annoying him was one of her hobbies.

"Don't you have your own work to do?" he questioned hopelessly.

Unfortunately for Gendry, she shook her head in response.

"What kind of stable girl are you then?" he sneered with a shrewd smile.

"A horrible one," she said unfazed by his insult which he thought to be a clever one. He frowned; as much as Arry can annoy him, Gendry can never annoy her. "I'm not that horrible," she restated. "I just don't have any work to do at the moment, which gives me a lot of time on my hands, fortunately for you."

"Unfortunately for me," he muttered under his breath.

"What was that?" Arry inquired with a tone in her voice that spoke out "I dare you to repeat what you have just said, just a little bit louder though".

"Nothing." Why did she have to be such a huge pain in his arse, Gendry asked himself and even, if they were listening, to the gods. She was just _impossible _to handle. Who are this girl's parents? Can't they teach her any manners or was it like slaying a dragon? Nearly impossible.

"If you have any problems, just say so." Just like that? It can't be that easy, Gendry wondered, especially when she smiled her famous smile at the end of the sentence which meant she was about to, caught up, or have just done some mischief.

He sighed and admitted, "I do. Can you please leave me alone? I actually have my own work to do." Gendry tried to sound pleasant instead of irritated, but he was right. Arry was never that easy to get through.

"It's not like I'm in your way. I could stay here as long as I want," she stated stubbornly.

Gendry just rolled his eyes and Arry smiled mockingly while she continued to eat her apple and watch Gendry do his work. There was nothing to talk about if she didn't. She would always lead their conversations and he would just reply, not like Gendry minded. It satisfied him well enough. The stable girl _was_ a big pain in his arse, but he enjoyed her company. She's his only friend and even his mood got better with her around. He would never admit that though, especially to her.

"D'you know that it's Sansa Stark's nameday today," Arry had said out of nowhere.

"How would I know?" That had explained why everyone was in a rush and commotion seemed to be like a disease on this day. Everyone was preparing for the lady's nameday.

"I was just pointing it out," she said while taking another bite out of her apple. "Are you going?"

"Going where?"

"To the feast, stupid, aren't you listening?" Gendry had shrugged in reply. "Well, are you?!" Arry had demanded.

"I am listening!" he protested.

"No!" she yelled out again. "Are you going to the feast?"

"I don't know. Will you?"

"No," she answered sternly with her arms crossed. Something was on her mind.

Suddenly, a boy that was actually Jon Snow, the bastard of the Lord of Winterfell, Eddard Stark, called her out with his direwolf trotting next to his side. He had been claimed by one of the most honorable men in Westeros as his bastard. It was interesting that he claimed him, but that was the honorable thing to do even if bearing him was not. The fact that his father had claimed him to be his bastard made him feel quite jealous of him. Sometimes he wished his father had claimed him, but then again he probably doesn't even know Gendry existed and that he was actually his child and not someone else's.

Arry turned around to look at the one who had called her and she rushed to him. Gendry couldn't make out what they were saying, but she looked like she was furious with him. She even _hit_ him, not like it actually looked like it hurt for her hands looked too small to actually do damage to anyone, but he still hit Snow. He may be a bastard, but he was a lord's bastard and it was known that Jon was treated nicely by his father. Gendry didn't think Lord Eddard would like to hear that the stable girl had punched him. That little mouse was bold and daring enough to actually hit the lord's bastard. Oddly enough, Jon didn't look like he was offended. He just laughed it off and Arry continually tried to punch him even harder, trying her very best to hurt him and make him angry to no avail. Eventually, he had stopped the girl from punching him by grabbing onto her arms and mussed up her already somewhat messed up hair.

They were probably friends, Gendry had to reassure himself for a reason he did not know. It's not like it wasn't queer that a bastard had to befriend with the commoners. The Lady Stark didn't really like him too much and the others probably always left him out, so maybe that's why. But for another unknown or possibly same reason, he felt a weird feeling in the gut of his stomach, like a fire that was burning him out and igniting him at the same time.

Arry escaped his clutch and they continued to talk normally. Gendry could not see his friend's face, but he was able to see Jon's. Jon Snow clearly showed joy in his face and his eyes were gleaming at Arry. It couldn't be possible, could it, Gendry pondered. No there was no way they both liked each other. He's way older, he has royal blood, and there was no way Arry actually looked as if he was interested in anyone. But then again, they've only known each other for two weeks. What did he know about her, except that her name was Arry, she was a stable girl, and she was aggravating to be with?

Jon then had a quick glance of him and at one moment their eyes met. But Gendry immediately had broke it off and looked down at the forge, pretending that he was focusing on his work. In the corner of his eyes, he saw Snow smile and walked off, while Arry returned to where she was a couple minutes beforehand.

"Never thought you were _that_ bold to actually hit a lord's son," Gendry pointed out when she was in earshot of him. Arry just made a face and had told him that she needed to go for a reason she did not state. "Finally have some work to do?"

In response, she just rolled her eyes and walked away to do her business, as mysterious as ever. He also saw another direwolf waiting for her, or seemed to be waiting for her in the distance, but Gendry just shrugged it off and continued on with his work, and much more efficiently without disruption.

**…**

It was around dusk when the Lady Sansa Stark's nameday feast had started. Gendry was still working, but Mikken had convinced him to stop and attend with him. He really didn't want to go since Arry, who was the only person he actually talked to, wasn't attending but he learned refusing your master isn't very appropriate. He actually had manners, unlike his friend.

Gendry was seated at the very end of The Great Hall of Winterfell that he could barely even see the royal table and the Starks seated there. But he had seen the girl, who was celebrating her 12th nameday, celebrating and smiling. She had thick, auburn hair that shined across the hall and looked just like her mother. Sansa Stark was unmistakably gorgeous.

Suprisingly, Lord Snow was also seated at the back end of the hall. He overheard him explaining that the Lady Stark thought it would be insulting to seat a bastard in the royal table. Jon's face revealed no feelings of being hurt. Jon then had caught his eye once more, but this time he had called him out. Snow went up to him to sit beside him and introduced himself. "Aren't you, er, Arry's friend?"

"I guess so, m'lord."

He waved his response off. "Don't call m'lord. I just have the blood of one. If I was, this is not the place I would be seated."

"I'm guessing Arry is a friend of yours too," Gendry said for she was the only thing they had in common, and maybe drinking. He noticed that Snow had possible had more than one drink of wine.

"You could call us that," he replied.

It was probably around midnight already when Sansa had thanked everyone for coming to the feast and the gifts. It still continued with dancing and singing and more drinking. But even when Gendry was drunk, something caught the corner of his eye; a little small lady, with brown hair and a pretty dress. It took him a moment to realize it was her friend, Arry. At first, he made sure he wasn't hallucinating. Then he had to process why she was at the feast when she specifically said she wasn't going, why she had an expensive, stunning dress on, and why she was at the royal table and dancing with the heir of Winterfell.

Then, after a while, he had finally realized why. He had only known her for two weeks, but he really didn't know anything about her that was true. She was no stable girl. She was no lowborn and she was not Arry. She was a lady. She was a highborn, and she was a Stark. And Gendry was a lowborn, worked at a smithy, and he was a bastard; and she was Lady Arya of House Stark.

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**A/N: This chapter took me so long to write because I just had no idea how he would figure out Arry Horseface was actually Arya Stark. But there you go, I figured out a decent way! Anyways, I hope you enjoyed and please give me some feedback and etc. Thank you so much for reading! :)**


	3. Chapter 3: The She-Wolf

**The Lady and the Bastard**

**Chapter 3: The She-Wolf**

Gendry had not talked to Arry, or in this case Lady Arya, in weeks. He told Mikken that he was feeling ill and his master had let him rest for a while. It was close to a week when Mikken decided that he should be well rested now.

"I have too much work and you're here to help me, not to just lie around and watch me," he had said when Gendry protested.

So, Gendry was forced to continue on with his work, but laid low while out in the forge. He worked and continually looked around his surroundings for that little mouse. And when he laid his eyes on her, he ran back inside Mikken's house and made up an excuse every time his master asked why he was in there or why he was going back inside. It was the second week when Mikken finally realized why he was acting queer.

"Is something bothering you?" Mikken asked Gendry while they were both in the forge.

"No."

"Arry came by the night before. She's been asking for you."

"I've been busy. You should know, with all these work to do."

Mikken had smiled. "I don't think she cares about that too much, which you should know. Why don't you call her over or do you have another excuse?"

Gendry ignored him, but knew well enough that Mikken realized he was avoiding her. Gendry wasn't even sure why he was. She's a lady, Gendry though, why should she be hanging around lowborn scum like me.

The next week after that was when he involuntarily confronted with her. Arry had sneaked up on him from behind and punched his back as hard as she could with her left hand.

Gendry yelled out in pain. "That hurt!" He glared at Arry when he met her eyes.

"Can't take a punch from a little girl?" she taunted. Gendry had turned around and continued to hammer on. He heard Arry sigh behind him. "Why have you been avoiding me?" she demanded.

"I haven't," he answered without turning to look at her.

"Liar," she accused him rightfully.

"You know you shouldn't insult people that are bigger than you are."

"Then I wouldn't get to insult anyone."

Gendry couldn't help but smile to himself.

"Why?" Arry insisted on getting her answer and punched him again thinking it will convince him to talk. "Tell me why you're avoiding me. Or else…"

"Or else what?" Gendry cut in. "What will you do? Punch me again or call me a traitor and ask your father to cut my head off."

"What?" she asked abashed.

"Do you think I'm some stupid lowborn," he asked furiously, but not sure where the anger was coming from, "m'lady," he added.

"How did you?"

"So you are a lady?" he said in an accusing manner.

"No," she began to say, "Well yes. My mother was a lady and my sister, but-"

"Yeah, but you're a lord's daughter, and you lived in a castle. Did you find it fun to play around? Were you just playing some game?" Gendry had to ask himself why he was so angry. He shouldn't be yelling at a little lady. But he could not stop his fury.

"I wasn't playing any games!" she answered back angrily too.

"Then what were you doing, m'lady?"

"Stop saying 'm'lady'! I am not a lady!"

"Then what are you?"

"A wolf," she said fiercely like she was a she-wolf. Gendry recalled that the Stark sigils were a direwolf and he knew they kept some of their own.

"Well, little wolf lady, don't you need to run off and go back to your pack. Go on and do your duties."

"Fine. I will," Arry said haughtily and under her breath said, "You stupid bull." The she-wolf stalked off indignantly. I'm not a bull, Gendry thought, just some stupid bastard.

A week passed and they have not talked to each other once again after their fight. It's probably for the best, Gendry forced himself to think, but he very much missed his little friend. Why did she have to be a noble?

Life was a lot boring to Gendry in Winterfell. No excitement, no conversations, and no laughter. Nothing interesting really happened until Mikken had told him he had a special assignment for him, a special order from one of the Starks themselves.

"You'll need to make something small and light, but deadly. A sword for someone weak but quick," his master had told him. And Gendry went on to forge the sword, making it as perfect as can be. He designed it just as Arry would have liked it. She looks like someone that would love to swordfight.

It took him about a week or so to finally show his finished product to Mikken. He inspected it and smiled in satisfaction. "You're good with this work, with more practice you'll be better than me soon enough." He laughed and returned the sword. "Do you mind if you deliver it for me, son?"

"And to who shall that be, Master Mikken?" Gendry felt uneasy walking up to one of the Starks and handing them something.

"Lord Snow." Well, at least it's him, Gendry thought but then once again felt anxious. What if Arry had told him? Would Lord Snow be angry with him? "He's over there practicing with his brothers."

Mikken returned the sword to Gendry and began to walk towards him. He could see the Jon Snow and the heir of Winterfell, Robb Stark sparring with each other. Jon had seen him from the distance and noticed the sword in his hand. Gendry could tell Jon called their spar off and approached him.

"Your sword, m'lord," Gendry said politely and handed him the sword he had forged. Lord Snow had unsheathed the wrappings and the sword and examined it.

"Didn't I tell you not to call me that? I'm no lord, just the son of one," he replied smiling to him. Gendry wondered why he had need of a sword as light as the one he made. Jon Snow looked like he was strong enough to wield a great sword. Hopefully, it was to his liking.

"Is it suitable, m-" He had to stop himself before he said "m'lord" once again. It's just he was so used to addressing lords, m'lords. His master back at King's Landing made sure he was respectful to the lords and ladies.

"Yes, it's just what I needed. You have my thanks and give mine to Mikken's too," he smiled at him and walked off with his new sword. Curiosity had beaten him though.

"If you don't mind me asking, whose sword is that to be? I'm sure you would like a bigger sword than that."

He smiled at Gendry once again. "It's not for me. I wanted it to give a gift before I joined the Night's Watch to my little sister, Arya."

"Oh," was all he could say and just walked away stupidly. He had made that sword for "Arya". Did Mikken do that on purpose? He must have known it was for her. Gendry could just strangle him for that, but he wouldn't of course.

They dined together when he returned.

"Did you know that was for the Lady Arya?" Gendry asked him in impulse.

"Aye, I did," his master admitted.

"Then why did you make me forge that sword?"

"I wanted to see how well you can do." Gendry did not believe that was the reason though. "And I'm sure you did a better job than I would. You know her better."

"I didn't even know I was making it for her." He only imagined making it for her. And in a quieter voice said, "I don't even know her that well."

They continued to eat their supper quietly and both went to sleep. But Gendry could not make himself fall asleep. His mind was racing too much for it to just rest and drift off to sleep. He got up and sighed to himself hopelessly. He stood up and found some clothes to put on and left the house to go outside. Maybe he just needed some fresh air. Fresh air would be nice and refreshing.

He neared the godswood, which the northerners were known to worship, and noticed the iron gate to enter was open. He speculated to who could be there at this time of the day. No one should be awake at this hour. Hesitantly, he entered the godswood and saw a silhouette of a short, slender person wielding a sword and swinging at the leaves that fell from the tree with the face on it.

Gendry had walked one more step and probably made a sound, since the person had gasped and turned to look at him with the sword in hand ready to attack. It was Arry.

"What are you doing here?"

Gendry did not know what to say to her. Should he retort something back at her or should he apologize. He was angry with her, but he also missed her company.

"That's my sword you're playing with," he said instead.

Arry had held the sword to her chest protectively. "No it's mine. Jon gave it to me. And I'm not playing with it, I'm practicing."

A small smile formed on his lips. "Little ladies shouldn't play with swords."

"I'm not playing with it! Stop that, I have the sword." She pointed the blade at his chest as if she was about to attack.

Gendry tried to look frightened. "You're such a little fearsome wolf with that sword. I hope you could forgive me."

She knew she was being mocked and yelled at him not to. Gendry couldn't help from laughing. For some reason, she was just so amusing to him.

"If you're just here to laugh at me, why don't you just go on and leave me alone," she said turning around and facing the heart tree. There was a tone of sadness in her voice and it made Gendry feel sorry. His face did not show any amusement now.

He let out a deep breath and rushed the words out of his mouth. "I should never have yelled at you. I really am sorry." Gendry felt her smile. He knew she wanted him to apologize, especially since he was so stubborn. She loved getting it her way, but she showed no response. Arry's face was still at the heart tree with the weeping face. Gendry noted at how sad it looked. Why would the northerners worship something as sad as this?

"But why… Why didn't you tell me before?"

"So you could call me 'm'lady' and tell me to go away and talk with the other ladies?"

"But that's who you should be with, not me." Gendry's voice broke at the end of the sentence. He never really cared too much on his status. But he knew well enough he was lowborn, as low as there can be. Highborn ladies should not waste their time around him. But Arya was different.

"I don't care about that. That's not me. I could be friends with whoever I want. No one's telling me any different. And you can't tell me what to do." She had finally turned to look at him and Gendry decided that protesting with her was futile. She'll always win. Arry gets what she wants. "So how is this your sword?" she asked changing the subject and sounding just as she did before he realized she was a lady.

Gendry truly smiled once again. "I made it."

Arry's eyebrows went up in impressment. "_You_ did? Well, you did a wonderful job. I love Needle," she said swinging her sword as if she was fighting someone.

"Let's see how much you love it." Gendry picked up a thick stick from the ground and held it like it was a sword. Arry just laughed at him.

"I'll slice that out of your hand," she threatened and ran forward to strike at him. He parried her attack and they went on for a while. Gendry was able to block most of her strikes, but she was too quick. Arry was able to knock the stick off his hands and had Needle pointed above his heart.

Gendry only smirked at her and kicked his feet to knock her feet. She fell to the ground, Needle flew out of her hands, and he and her wrestled on the dirt floor. She was quick, but Gendry was stronger and when he was able to get her wrists into one of his hands, he started to tickle her. Arry only kicked him in his groin, which painfully hurt, and was able to wriggle free while Gendry was in pain.

"Don't look so much like a lady now, do I?" They both laughed.

It was close to dawn when Gendry had returned to his cot. He was sure to be tired the next morning and half asleep, but he felt whole now. He awfully missed Arry and they were as good as friends now. He felt ecstatic and finally was able to rest. Gendry fell asleep with the thought: Aye, you're no mouse; she's wild as a wolf.

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**A/N: I know, it's been too long, but I had exams and all and I just had a temporary writer's block. Hopefully, that's over with and gone. I personally like how this went and I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I wrote it. The story could end of here, but if you guys want and if I feel like writing more there could be more to this story. So please review in what you thought of this chapter. Most likely, there will be another chapter so yeah... Thank you so much for reading and thank you guys for who have reviewed already. :)**


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